(Think of a flattened, understated version of the tense opening of Schubert's "Death and the Maiden," too polite to cut loose into a full-fledged scream.) Ms. Akalaitis, who is famous for muddying the meanings of classic plays, is actually a dispenser of clarity this time around.
This is the older, wiser, and slightly more understated version of Birdman not that he can't still afford extravagant items.
"When I bought my first Beatles album when I was 11 and was sat in my dad's kitchen, if you were to tell me that I'd be standing in Abbey Road paying tribute to The Beatles, who would have believed you?" Mercury nominated three-piece I Am Kloot produce a typically beautiful, understated version of the Gerry Goffin and Carole King track Chains.
He certainly had heart, though I'm not quite sure why Steven was so affected by his understated version of "Lean on Me".
Near the end of Tuesday's show, Prince put down the guitar he'd been manhandling for most of the evening, sat down behind an electric piano and led his band mates in a gorgeously understated version of "Purple Rain".
Acoustic music has the power to simplify even the most complex music and deliver a fresh, modern and understated version of your favourite songs.
As a sneak peak to whet your appetites, here's a video of singer Malin Dahlstrom performing a lovely, understated acoustic version of the song in a garden.
The difference between the David Bellios-translated Have Mercy On Us All and the more understated and supple version that Reynolds has produced for, say, The Chalk Circle Man is marked – despite their exceedingly French atmosphere, Reynolds never once makes you feel that you're missing out on the subtleties of the original.
CORRECTION: An earlier version understated the amount of the loans Kushner Companies received.
Live, even Mr. Cave's older songs (stretching back to the Birthday Party's "Wild World") were rearranged, with Mr. Cave, on piano, offering more understated, impressionistic, slower-moving versions, punctuated by the occasional blistering electric violin solo from Mr. Ellis.
Ms. Molaskey, who appeared with her husband in the Broadway musical "Dream," shares his gift for understated humor, and her version of Dave Frishberg's "Quality Time," a withering spoof of urbane yuppie argot, captured just the right attitude of good-humored mockery.
